Production of crystalline dextrose



Feb. 13, I945. A. T. HARDING PRODUCTION OF CRYSTALLINE DEXTROSE 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 14, 1942 Feb. 13, 1945. A. "r. HARDING PRODUCTION OF CRYSTALLINE DEXTROSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, I942 V %vezz fir zz/fi f/ f/%m z Fatented Feb. 13, 1945 Corn Products N. Y.,

Refining Company, New York, acorporation of New Jersey Application December 14, 1942, Serial No. 469,030

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of crystalline dextrose from dextrose-containing liquors such as produced by the acid conversion of starch; and the object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus, both simple and inexpensive, for the production jof crystalline dextrose.

Heretofore, it has been common practice to produce crystalline dextrose by three methods. According to the earlier practices relating to the manufacture of what were then known as corn sugars,'so-called 70 and 80" corn sugars were produced by acid convertingmorn starch, and permitting the relatively impure dextrose-con taining liquor to flow into large forms on the 'iioor where, after a period of days, it crystallized.

The resultant slabs of sugar were thereafter broken up by a device known as a chipper." and the sugar was bagged and sold in this form. Such dextrose generallycontained a high percentage of impurities even when some of the mother liquor was pressed therefrom.

Later, the art embraced the crystallization of dextrose according to the principles of United States patents ,to W. B. Newkir k, Nos. 1,471,347, 1,508,569 and 1,521,830. Crystallization in motion. as this practice came to be known,resulted in the formation of purgeable crystals from which the hydro] or mother liquor could readily be removed by centrifuging. While such process is theoretically applicable to the production of all three types of crystalline dextrose, 'it has been.

employed, for the most part, in the production of crystalline dextrose in the alpha hydrate form.

F rther inventions of W. B. Newkirlr related to the process oi crystallizing dextrose wherein dextrose-containing liquors are crystallized or grained in a vacuum pan. See, for example, his U. Patent No. 1,693,118. This process lends itself to the production of all three types of crystallizable dextrose, but is characterized by the disadvantages that it is rather expensive and t at the output of crystalline product is relatively limited. so as to require a rather large installation to produce crystalline dextrose in substantial quantities.

The present invention is based ,upon the discovery that crystalline dextrose may be produced. in yet another way, namely, by spraying dexarose-containing liquor upon a bed of dextrose crystals. which serve as seedff and thereafter found, moreover, thatsuch operation results in the production of crystalline dextrose in the form of small, generally round pellets, this form being known to the trade as the pearl" form. Such operation permits the packaging of a'product which is substantially free from fines or dust and which, moreover, unlike currently available commercial crystalline dextrose, is not given to dusting.

By the application of known principles, the present invention maybe employed for the production of different products, containing different proportions of'diflerent types of crystalline dextrose-depending upon the type of crystalline dextrose used as seed and upon the temperatures employed- 'In practice, no one type, of crystal alone is produced, but rather mixtures of the different types, and as the variables referred to are altered or adjusted the resultant products will contain greater or lesser amounts of the dif ferent crystal types. in practicing the invention it has been preferred to produce a product containing approximately 35% of beta anhydrous crystals, the balance consisting of crystalline dextrose of one or more other forms. It is to be understood, however, that adjustment of the controlling variables might be made to bring about the production of crystalline dextrose having, for example, a higher content of beta anhydrous crystals, as when beta anhydrous seed and relatively high crystallizing temperatures are employed with liquorscontaining relatively small amounts of impurities. Alpha anhydrous seed crystals and somewhat lower temperatures will tend, similarly, to result in the production of relatively large percentages of alpha anhydrous crystalline dextrose.

The invention has been found particularly advantageous in prodiicing a crystalline dextrose subjecting thelwetted crystals. to intimate con- I meeting the requirements of thebottlers of carbonated beverages. I sugar which is inexpensive and rapidly soluble,- which does not have too high a-color, and which,

'moreover, is free from dusting. The product of the present invention, being in earl form, substantially eliminates the question of dusting, and at the same time, through suitable control of the process conditions, can be made to satisfy the other enumerated requisites important in such applications. The relative rates of solubility (i. e. the relative rates at which substances so into water solution) of sucrose, beta anhydrous dextrose, alphaanhydrous dextrose'and alpha hydrate dextrose, all in pure crystalline form, at 77 F., are 1.0, 1.35. 0.55 and 0.35, respec- These bottlers require a in connection with similar to the rotary of the drum, through a series crystals l3.

- abed of crystalline seed has been solution much' nore rapidly than sucrose, it has been found quite practical to produce a crystalline dextrose product, containing approximately 7 crystals, which approxi- 35% of. beta anhydrous mates pure sucrose in which is, moreover, tionable degree. As will appear, a higher percentage of beta anhydrous crystals in the result ant product .may be obtained through use of.

its solubility rate and higher temperatures more favorable to the production-of beta anhydrouscrystals, but ithas been found in practice-to be desirable'to avoid temperatures which are too high since these tend to bring about excessive color in the finished product. l

The nature of the invention will more fully appear from the following description, to be read. the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l diagrammatically illustratesa preferred.

form of apparatus for carrying out the invention;

free from color to an objecment, departure from this concept tends to bring Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the crystallizer of Fig. l on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the lined-3 timately contacted by the stream of hot air sup-=.

The crystallizer 5 is plied to the drum through pipe 9, are removed from the upstream ly 32 feet in length, to remove the customary flights from the first B feet of the drum, leaving a relatively smooth surfaced section of the drum in' which the bed of seed crystalscanbe formed, but in which such bed is agitated; on rotation of the drum, by corrugations or the like 10.

Crystalline dextrose which is to act as seed in I the production of. crystalline dextrose within the drum 1 is supplied to the drum of a hopper l through conduit I i, as by means of screw conveyor l2. The crystals thus, delivered to the drum form a'bed I! at the entering end of thecrystallizer at the bottom'thereof, Rotation portion of the drum 1. In practicing the invention it has been found -expedient', in employing acrystallizer approximate.- a

admission of heating medium, heater 46 disposed in pipe 9.

tinued contact with the air stream,

I 2,809,281 tively. Since beta anhydrous dextrose goes into about caklng and lumping which interfere to a marked degree with successful operation of the process and may altogether. prevent the attainment of desired results.

In producing a crystalline dextrose of the preferred. type above referred to, on the average, about 35% crystals, the 'air introduced through pipe 9 should be at a temperature according to preferred practice. The temperature and volume of air introduced are adjusted in any case to insure the maintenanceeof desired crystallizing temperature of the dextrose-containing liquor undergoing crystallization. Evaporation of moisture from such liquortendsto cool both the liquor and the ambient air,-in accordi. e. containing,

ance with familiar psychrometric principles.

Consequently the initial temperature of the air must be sufficiently high, with relation to, the volume of air introduced and the volume of water to be evaporated, so that the dextrose containing liquor is not, at crystallization,.permitted to be cooled below. a temperature favorable to control of temperature may, as a practical matter, be effected by means of-a. thermostat 44 disposed within crystaliizer '6 within the been at the far end thereof, such thermostat suitably controlling valve 45 adjustably, controlling the such as steam, to If crystallization is initiated at a temperature permitting the formation of a cry t lline product of desired t e,

the temperature may.

be lowered somewhat thereafter without. affecting the type of crystalline productformed. vThus if an appropriate temperature is assured at the point where the wetted crystals leave thebed for dispersion and conthe desired type of crystalline formation will follow although the temperature obtaining in the downstream portions of crystallizer 5' may be somewhat lower than the preferred crystallization temperature range. Thus, for example,

in preferred practice of the invention as aforesaid, the air leaves crystallizer 5 at a temperature of about 185-l95 F..

By suitable adjustment of thermostat M to provide the desired temperature, at such point desired, control of the type of. crystalline product produced may be effected.

In practicing the invention to produce the preferred type of product, which requires that crysof the drum 1 maintains the bed in a state of agitation, partly as a result of thetendencyof the bed of crystals the inner walls of the drum 1 in th the rotation of the drum, as indicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings; Dextrose-containing liquor is supplied to a header l5 extendinglensthwise and is .discharged therefrom trose -containing liquor is discharged preferably under a pressure of about -70 pounds per square inch, and the nozzles are of such type as to create a relativel flne spray of the discharged liquor, directed substantially "perpendicularly against and upon the surface of the bed of seed The discharge of the dextrose-conto be carried upwardly along f direction of mostat M be'maintained at about 200 v210 F.), it has been F.). of the liquor could be varied, somewhat from this tallization be initiated at about'200" F. (190- 210 F.) i. e. that the temperature effecting ther duce dextrose-containing liquor to the crystallizer at a temperature of about 200 F. (190-210 It will be understood that the temperature recommended temperature, or even from such of spray nozzles lid. The dextaining liquorin the form of ilneparticles upon found essential to the attainment .of desired results. While the invention permits of some variation and adjustof theair-stream would be required.

I rated would tend to range of temperature, although in such event suitable compensatory change in the temperature Also, the liquor is preferably. introduced at a density of about 45 (4446) Baum. More dilute solutions than this could be used, but the greater quantities of water then required to be evapocause more cooling, and this would, in turn, require that higher air temperatures and/orgreater air volumes be used to maintain crystallization temperature within the desired range. Moreover, this would tend in the of beta anhydrousv of about 320 (BUM-350 F.)

least during the initial stages of the production of the desired type of crystalline product. The desired found expedient to introalpha anhydrous type.

aseaasr i It direction of creatin conditions causing lumping and caking, which would seriously interfere with intended operation of the. process. Conversely,

more highly concentrated solutions might be used but considerable mechanical difiiculty is generally experienced in commercial operations where sugar liquors of such high gravity are required to be handled.

In practicing the invention any high gravity dextrose-containing liquor may be used. Thus, it has been found expedient and desirable to use for this purpose first greens derived from the centri fuging of alpha anhydrous dextrose crystals pro duced, for example, by conventional processes including: graining in the pan as referred to above. This liquor. is preferably diluted with water to about 28 (25."40) Baume from an original density of about 32 Baum, and is then treated with-about L of-ve ctable carbon, such as Darco, for about 30 minutes, at the end of which time the liquor is filtered to remove both such carbon and the impurities removed thereby.

'Dhe filtered liquor is then delivered to a concen trating device such as a vacuum pan and concentrated to a density of about 45 (4d-=46) Baum as noted above. Such liquor is relatively free from impurities. It will be seen that, according to the present invention, impurities present in dextrose-containing liquor delivered to the crysm tallizer are not removed, as by centrifuging.

pressing, or the like as in other known processes for the production of crystalline dextrose, but remain in the finished product. .Thus a relatively lizer. The bed to of dextrose crystals serving as seed is maintained at a temperature of about 180* to about 220 F. The rotation of drum 1, by agitating the dextrose crystals of the bed i 3, presents a constantly changing surface upon which the sprayed dextrose-containing liquor impinges, so that the dextrose seed crystals become mixed with and coated or wetted by the sprayed liquor. The crystallizer is inclined slightly to the horizontal (as in conventional sugar drier practice) so as to bring about ,a gradual movement, by force of gravity, through the crystallizer oi the materials supplied thereto. In practicing the invention with a crystallizer 32..feet in length and 6 feet in diameter it has been found expedient to rotate the drum at the rate of 6 revolutions per minute, and under such conditions it has been found that complete passage of material through the crystallizertakes from 30 to minutes. As the wetted dextrose I crystals pass beyond the first section of the drum 7, wherein the bed It! is formed, which section may be termed a wetting zone, they are subjected throughout the balance of the length of the crystallizer 5, in what may be termed a crystallizing zone, to the action pure liquor results in a relatively pure finished product. whereas the converse is also true. More over, colloidal impurities, if present in the liquor. would tend to have an adverse effect on desired crystallization. They tend to slow down such crystallization, sometimes to the extent of causing the apparatus to clog through the formation of lumps and masses rather than crystalline substances; and in -all cases tend to produce an inof flights 8. These serve to raise the wetted dex trose crystalsand then to drop them. in the form of finely divided dispersed particles. The wetted' crystals are thereby intimately contacted with the stream of'hotair flowing through the crystallizer,

andconsequently the desired crystallization of ferior product and to make formore expensive operation. I

If desired, one might employ for delivery to the 'crystallizer 5 the liquor which, according to ourthe dextrose in the liquor sprayed upon the seed crystals is effected.

The crystalline product, in pearl form, is delivered from crystallizer 5 through pipe l4 and by means of a conveyor I5 is introduced within a cooler l6 of conventional type, which is similar,

generally. to crystallizer 5 in construction, except rent conventional practice, is supplied to the crystallizers in which dextrose hydrate is produced by crystallization in. motion, or one might employ first greens derived from the centrifuging of dextrose hydrate so formed; and, moreover, one might, to obtain a product quite free from im-' purities, remelt centrifuged crystalline dextrose. (e. g. dextrose hydrate) and supply. the resultant melt to crystallizer 5. I

The selection of crystalline dextrose used as seed in initiating operation of the process will be governed, in the light of established and well known principles, by the type of product which'is to be produced. Thusif, for example, a large portionof beta anhydrous dextrose is desired in the finished product, the material forming the bed l3 will,- in commencing operation, be crystal line dextrose entirely or largely of the beta anhydrous type. Similarly, if al'pha'anhydrous crystals are desired to a large extent in the finished product, the material forming bed l3 upon commencement of the operation of the'process will be crystalline dextrose entirely or largely of the As has been indicated, theftemperature at -Whlch the dextrose-containing. liquor is introduced may be raised above 200.F., as specified therefrom. The removal of moisture is desirable,

that the cooler preferably contains flights or the like throughout its length. Cooling air, which may be drawn from the outdoor atmosphere and is preferably filtered at ll, is caused to circulate through the cooler l6. cooling the crystalline dextrose passing therethrough to a leaving temperature of to F., and removing moisture as is well known in the art of sugar drying, to prevent caking which would normally occur if sugar were cooled without ample opportunity for the carrying off of moisture therefrom. The dextrose preferably is not cooled to a temperature substantially below 1205B. as this would tend to bring about lumping and sticking of dextrose returned to the crystallizer as seed The cooled dextrose is delivered from cooler l6 through a conduit l8 to a conveyor l9, which may b of the type known as a Redler conveyo and is delivered thereby to ascreening device 20., The crystalline dextrose delivered to the, screening device contains particles of d fferent sizes. The mixture is delivered to. a coarse. jigger screen 2| and the materials which pass therethrough but which remain upon a 10 mesh screen 22, pass from the device 20 through a conduit 23 to a mill 24 where this relatively coarse material is ground.

Dextrose which passes through the 10 mesh 75 screen 22 but .which remains upon a 24 mesh the' coolers l6 and 21 are vided with flights orequivalent devices 811 trose, preferably, is returned .smaller amount screen 22a is of a sizeregarded as desirable in the finished product. Such material, therefore, is

' delivered from screening device 20 through conduit 25 and is, by means of conveyor 26, delivered to a final cooler and dryer 2'! wherein the temperature of the crystalline dextrose is lowered to between 70 and 100 F. The cooling of crystalline dextrose within cooler 21 is effected by means of air delivered to the cooler, from any desired source, such as the outdoor atmosphere, preferuct, ready for packaging or use, is delivered from cooler 21 through outlet 29. The cooler 21-, as the cooler l6, may be of any desired type but preferably is of conventional type corresponding generally to crystallizer 5 in construction, except that preferably both prothroughout their entire respective lengths, so as to provide maximum opportunity 'for intimate contact between the crystalline dextrose therein and the air caused ablythrough filter 28. The cooled finished prodto fiowtherethrough. Cooler 21, however, may be somewhat smaller than crystallizer 5 or cooler l6, since it is not required to handle as much material as crystallizer 5 or cooler i8.

The material which passes through both the 10 mesh screen 22 and 24 mesh screen 22a, 1, e.,

the fines, is delivered through conduit to a supplyline 8|. Thelatteris provided with a screw conveyor or the per' in the fines received from the device 20 and the fines producedby the action of mill 24. These relatively small particles of crystalline dextrose are well adapted to serve as seed in the crystalliz- -38 leading to pipe er I8 is relieved therefrom through a-pipel'l leading to pipe 34. The pipes 33, and are preferably provided with dampers orthe like, 38 39 and 40 respectively, to control the'fiow of air through cooler 21, crystallizer 5 and cooler it, respectively. Y, s

- In the case of coolers l5 and 2l,- the volume-of air will be adjusted to effect the desired degree of cooling, and in the case of crystallizer '5 to effect the desired crystallization-as evidenced by the discharge of crystalline dextrose, free from lumps, from the crystallizer, In each-case the rate of air fiow, although preferably adjusted manually or automatically in accordance with changes in operating conditions, will be comparable to that obtaining in conventional drum sugar-driers of the type indicated. If desired, the rate of air fiow through crystallizer 5 may be controlled by thermostat 44. which, in addition to varying thetemperature of the airsupplied'to the crystallizer, might, for example, serve to adjust the position of damper 39.

Crystalline dextrose separated from the air stream delivered to device 35. is discharged from v such device through pipe 4| and delivered therelike 32 which delivers to the hoping operation ,hereinabove described, and are, ac-

cordingly, purpose.

While screens 22 and'22a preferably are of 10 and 24 mesh respectively, as specified, it will be understood that the degree of fineness of these returned to the crystallizer 5 for'such of, it is to be understood that the foregoing descreens may be varied to produce a finished product of any desired particle size. Approximately two pounds-of crystalline dexto the crystallizer 5 as seed for each pound of finished product re-.

moved from the system through outlet 29, 1., e..

for each pound of dry substance introduced through the spray nozzles [5a, but it will be understood-that this ratio maybe varied somewhat,

' i tsfactual determination in any given case .1. ingfactors. For example-lt'has been found desirable, ,in some cases, to'opera'te with this ratio as high as 4:1, However, -itwil1 be appreciated that while this tends to facilitate the production of the; finished product bytjrequiring a relatively of accretion in the crystallizer 5, such procedure involves the recirculation of relatively large quantities of crystalline dextrose, and this tends to limit the capacity of a given instalepend upon both economic and operat-' 'by to conveyor is. Thus, this material, together with the material discharged from cooler I6, is delivered to the screening device 20.

If insufficient amounts of fines are returned to the crystallizer as seed mill 24, additional material, which would otherwise be delivered to cooler 21, may be deliveredtc pipe 3| through pipe 42, under the control of slide valve 43.

Since certain changes may be made in the in vention without departing from the scope therescription is intended as illustrative only.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for dextrose comprising a rotating drum having a relatively smooth surfaced wetting section and a crystallizing section equipped with means for agitating and'dispersing material contained within said crystallizing section of .said drum, means for supplying crystalline dextrose particles to said wetting section and for forming thereof a bed ,at the bottom of the wetting section of said drum, means for impinging dextrose-containing liquor uponsaid bed in finely divided form, and means for forcibly circulating hot air through said wetting section and'saidcry'stallizing section of said drum, said'agitating and dispersing means within said crystallizing section serving to agitatewetted crystals received from said wetting section and lation and to increase the cost of production of the finished product. For such reasonsit is 'de-. sirable to reduce the amount of crystalline dextrose which 'is recirculated. On the other-hand, if an i'nsufficient quantity of crystalline dextrose isysupplied ancy to the "within thezcrystaliizer 5.

to serve as seed there will be a-gltendformation of sticky lumps and masses The air-*which. is delivered to cooler 21 is relievedtherefrom throughapipe 33 which 0011-, nects with a pipe 34 leading to a cyclone dust col- 35 suitably equipped with an exthrough a pipe about 180 F. to "about 220 F., and spraying msthereupon dextrose-containing liquor at a temto disperse the same for intimate contact with air in said crystalli'zing section. I

2. The process of producing a bed of dextrose seed crystals, agitating said bed and maintaining the temperature thereof at perature of about 190 F. to about2l0 F., whereby said'seed crystals are wetted with said liquor, and thereafter intimately contacting said wetted crystals-with hot air.

3. The process of producing dextrose, contain-- ing a large proportion of beta dextrose, in the form ofsmall pellets, which comprises impinging dextrose-containing liquor in finely divided form at a temperature of about 190 F. to about'2l0" F., upon a mass of crystalline dextrose seed par- Y ticles having a temperature of about Fyto as, and the air supplied to coolthrough pipe 30 and from the production of crystalline dextrose in the" form of small pellets. which comprises forming about 220 F. while agitating the latter, whereby particles of crystalline dextrose are wetted with said liquor, withdrawing from said mass and dispersing said wetted particles and subjecting saidliquor, withdrawing from said mass and dispers lng said wetted particles and subjecting said dispersed particles to intimate contact with air at a temperature of about 300 F. to about 350 F.

5. The process of producing dextrose in the 'fomroi' small pellets, which comprises forming a bed of crystalline dextrose of relatively small particle size and adapted to serve as seed, maintaining said'bed at a temperature of about 180 F. to about 220 F., agitating said bed, wetting said bed during agitation thereof with dextrose containing liquor supplied thereto in finely divided form, and at a temperature of about 190 F. to,about 210 F., subjecting said introduced liquor and seed bed to the action of a stream of hot air, and thereafter subjecting crystalline dexto agitation trose particles wetted by-said liquor in intimate contact with said air.

6. The process of producing dextrose in the form of small pellets,'which comprises forming a bed of dextrose seed crystals, agi-tating said bed and maintaining the temperature thereof at about 180 F. to about 220 F., spraying thereupon dextrose-containing liquor at a density of about 44 B. to about 46 B. and at a temper-' ature of about 190 F. to about 210 F., whereby said seed crystals are wetted with said liquor, and

.' thereafter intimately contacting said wetted crystals with hot air, 'and returning a portion ofthe'resultant crystalline product to the process as seed.

7. The process of producing dextrose, containing a large proportion of beta dextrose, in the form of small pellets, which comprises impinging dextrose containing liquor at a density of about B. in finely divided form at a temperature of about 200 F., upon a mass of crystalline dextrose seed particles having a temperature of about 180 F. to about 220 F. while agitating the latter, whereby particles of crystalline 'dextrose are wetted with said liquor, withdrawing from said mass and dispersing said wetted par ticles and subjecting said dispersed particles to intimate contact with air at a temperature of about 320 F. I

ALBERT T. HARDING. 

